


Burnout

by snoozingsnuffles



Series: 30 Day Multi-fandom Hurt/Comfort Challenge - November 2019 [10]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: 30 Day Hurt/Comfort Challenge, Burnout - Freeform, Exhaustion, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-27 18:33:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21396754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snoozingsnuffles/pseuds/snoozingsnuffles
Summary: After three weeks of constant work, the case is finally solved and Connor is exhausted.
Relationships: Hank Anderson & Connor
Series: 30 Day Multi-fandom Hurt/Comfort Challenge - November 2019 [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1533236
Comments: 5
Kudos: 178





	Burnout

The case was finally closed.

All Hank could do was breathe a deep sigh of relief once he closed the document on his terminal for the final time. It had been a tough few weeks. Androids all over Detroit had contracted some kind of virus, allowing them to be mind-controlled by an anti-android human hopped up on Red Ice and other narcotics from his basement. It was a harrowing case – innocent Androids were being forced to murder their loved ones and commit atrocious crimes. But the perp was behind bars, and the city’s population of androids were safe once again. Well. From mind-control at least.

He glanced up at Connor, and whatever good mood that had started to emerge within him at a job well done was immediately quenched. Connor sat opposite him, his gaze fixed on one of the dog bobble-heads he kept on his desk, though he didn’t seem to be seeing it. His LED was a solid, warning yellow.

“Connor.” Hank said. He nudged the android on the leg with his foot, which caused Connor to finally blink. The android looked up, dazed.

“Lieutenant.” He said, his voice flat and dull. There was no life in his eyes either, it was almost like he was a machine again.

Hank knew the case had been hard for Connor. The young droid had experience with mind control after all – Amanda had tried to make him shoot Markus in front of the majority of the android population. Hank wasn’t surprised Connor wanted this case solved as badly as he did – he worked tirelessly day and night. Hank wasn’t sure if he had even slept more than two hours a night.

“What’s up?” He asked. Connor’s LED spun as he processed Hank’s words. “I thought you’d be glad to finally close this thing.”

“I am.” Connor responded in that same, mechanical voice. He didn’t sound it. “I think.”

Hank watched as Connor sagged in his seat. If he were human, he would have dark, heavy bags under his eyes and his skin would be grey and creased. But on the surface, Connor looked fine. If it wasn’t for the distressed colour of his LED, anyone would think he was functioning at 100%. Hank knew otherwise.

“Tired?” He asked. After a pause, Connor nodded.

“Exhausted.” He admitted.

“I’m not surprised. You really went for it, huh.” Hank sighed sympathetically, watching as Connor’s eyes fluttered closed against his will. “Maybe you over did it.”

“Maybe.” Connor murmured. He was defiantly feeling like shit if he was actually _agreeing _with Hank, instead of trying to feign wellness. “But I had to.”

“You didn’t have to. We would have gotten there eventually.” Hank reasoned, but Connor sluggishly shook his head.

“If I had taken my time and treated this like any other case, more androids would have been corrupted.” At the thought, Connor’s LED briefly flashed red. “I know what’s like. I know how… terrifying that can be. I couldn’t let that happen to anyone else.”

It made sense, and Hank couldn’t even argue with him, even though he wanted to. Connor looked drained. Hank knew what it was like to get a little too involved in a case; after a while you learn to step back, even when things got personal. Connor obviously hadn’t learnt that yet. But knowing the android, Hank didn’t think he ever would.

“I get it.” Hank said. “Well, I don’t get it. Not at all. But I get it.”

Connor chuckled weakly. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Probably not.” Hank agreed. He frowned as he watched Connor’s LED, which flickered from yellow to red so fast it almost looked orange. “What are your stress levels, Con?”

The android paused as he ran the scan and his LED finally settled on red. It was as if performing the simple action drained him further. “Fifty-nine percent.” Connor mumbled. Too high. Not quite dangerous levels, but too high none-the-less.

“We should go home.” Hank said. He stood, Connor’s eyes followed him as he did so. “You’ve done great. You deserve a break.”

“We still have an hour left of our shift.” Connor frowned. “We can’t leave.”

“You’re burnt out, kid. And as long as no one gets murdered within the next hour, we’ll be fine.”

“I’m ok.” Connor insisted, but his voice was small. He stayed seated even as Hank made his way over to Connor’s desk and perched on the edge. “We don’t have to leave on my account. Besides…” He trailed off then, the words caught in his throat. Hank knew that look. Connor was about to say something Hank wouldn’t like.

“Besides?” Hank prompted.

After thirty seconds or so, Connor sighed heavily. “There’s no cause for celebration. This is something that can easily happen again."

“Connor.” Hank said in a scolding tone, but there wasn’t much heat in it. The android continued regardless.

“He was an ex-CyberLife technician. He was angry. There are probably hundreds of angry ex-CyberLife technicians out there with the knowledge to do the same thing as he did. This could happen again and we would have no control over it.”

“Connor…” Hank’s tone was softer now, more sympathetic. He ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. “We don’t know that for sure. As soon as it’s made public knowledge that we’ve caught that guy, people aren’t gonna try it again in a hurry.”

“Or his story could inspire Copycats.” Connor reasoned. “Like serial killers. Many get caught but they have fans, fans who try and imitate their work.”

Hank sighed and hung his head. Connor was making good points, and there was no way Hank could discredit them to make the android feel better. Curse android logic.

“Listen.” He said instead. “We can’t control that. There’s no use in worrying about things we can’t control. We caught the one guy who was active. Fuck, you caught him. You were able to prove the androids were being mind-controlled and were able to get the charges against them dropped. If it wasn’t for you, countless more androids could have been taken over by that fucker. You’re allowed to celebrate that the case if over. You’re allowed to relax. You did _amazing_, Con.”

Connor shifted uncomfortably in his seat, as he always did when he was complimented. He wasn’t used to it, and that broke Hank’s heart. “I suppose.” He mumbled. “But I was just doing my job.”

“You’re allowed to be proud of doing your job.” Hank said, softly. He slid of Connor’s desk and laid a steady hand on the android’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you.”

A ghost of a smile appeared on Connor’s face. “Thank you, Hank.” He murmured.

“And as your superior, I say we go home. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

After a moment, Connor nodded. “Ok.” He agreed. “Emergency stasis will initiate in thirty minutes anyway.”

“Jesus!” Hank exclaimed. Android’s bodies only pulled them into emergency rest mode if their power levels were critically low. “I told you not to let your batteries get that low!”

“’M sorry.” Connor apologized, his words slightly slurred. He looked as if he were going to fall asleep where he sat. Hank immediately deflated – he couldn’t stay mad at the kid when he looked _that _pitiful.

“Come on then.” Hank sighed. “Let’s get you home.”


End file.
